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Driving in snow and ice for the first time

If you can stay home during a snow or ice storm, stay home. If you must drive, one rule matters above all others: do only one thing at a time—brake on the straightaway, take your foot off the brake before turning the wheel, and accelerate only after your wheels are straight again.

If you only do three things

Drive as if you have a cup of scalding hot coffee sitting on your dashboard with no lid—every press of the gas, brake, and steering wheel must be slow and gentle.
Leave 3 to 4 times your normal space behind the car ahead (8 to 10 seconds of following distance); on ice, stopping takes up to 10 times longer.
Remember that All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and 4-Wheel Drive (4WD) only help you accelerate—they do nothing to help you brake or turn on ice.

The Golden Rule of snow driving: One input at a time

Your tires only have a tiny patch of rubber touching the road. On snow or ice, that rubber only has enough grip to do ONE job at a time: either slowing down, turning, or speeding up.

If you brake hard WHILE turning the steering wheel into a corner, your tires lose grip and the car slides straight ahead. Always finish all your braking in a straight line BEFORE you turn the steering wheel.

Bridges, hills, and snowplows

Bridges and overpasses freeze first: Regular roads sit on warm earth, while cold air flows both above and underneath bridges. A road can be completely wet and clear, then turn into solid ice the second you cross a bridge.
Going up hills: Gain a gentle, steady momentum before the bottom of the hill. Do not stop halfway up a snowy hill—if you stop, your tires may just spin when you try to start again.
Going down hills: Shift into a lower gear (L, 2, or B mode) before the crest so the engine keeps your speed low without riding the brakes.
Never crowd or pass a snowplow on the right: Snowplows throw heavy walls of snow to the right and have wide wing blades that extend past the lane.
Never use Cruise Control on snow, slush, or wet roads below 40°F: If your tires hit ice while cruise control is on, the car will try to accelerate and spin you out.